After parting with Ryuen, Ichinose bit her lip with despair in her eyes, and Kanzaki's expression wasn't great either.
Even stepping back, even if Ryuen were willing to lend the money, Class B couldn't gather the massive sum of 20 million.
They were short by over a million.
However, that million-plus was like a natural chasm standing before them.
The first years were out of the question.
No one would be willing to give money to help a completely unrelated class.
And a million wasn't a small amount. It was roughly a month's worth of living expenses for a class. Idiots like Yamauchi Haruki probably couldn't save any money at all.
In Class C and D, there were likely very few people who could maintain rational spending.
Class A was even less likely to lend money to Class B.
Unless Class B was willing to offer high interest, but in that case, reaching Class A would be out of the question.
As for the upperclassmen, to Nagumo Miyabi, whether it was one million or six million probably didn't make a difference. He would still use coercion, and in the end, Ichinose would have to be the sacrifice.
"Wait."
Just then, Ibuki Mio quickly caught up with them. She glanced at Ichinose, then fixed her gaze on Hikigaya.
"I have something to talk to you about."
She used a declarative sentence. Her attitude was forceful, with no intention of asking for his opinion. Hikigaya was reluctant.
"What is it? I haven't eaten lunch yet."
"Just come with me."
Ignoring his whining and paying no mind to Ichinose nearby, Ibuki Mio grabbed Hikigaya's wrist and pulled him away.
"Hey, wait, what exactly are you doing?"
Looking at the slender figure in front of him, Hikigaya was genuinely shocked. As expected of someone with martial arts experience, her grip was incredibly strong.
As the two of them left, Kanzaki and the others didn't say much. Ichinose called out:
"Hiki-ga-ya-kun, we'll wait for you at the cafeteria."
At least Ibuki Mio, while impulsive, wasn't a bad person, so there was nothing to worry about.
Just past the corner, Ibuki Mio let go of his wrist and turned to glare at Hikigaya with a fierce look in her eyes.
"Can you get Class B to cast all their praise votes for Ryuen?"
"Sigh."
Rubbing his sore wrist, Hikigaya was a bit speechless.
"I barely know anyone in my class. You should talk to Ichinose about that; she's the leader of Class B."
"I'm not good at dealing with that girl."
Ibuki Mio was very blunt.
Hikigaya didn't dislike this straightforward style.
Come to think of it, during the rooftop incident, Ibuki was also the first one to speak up and try to stop Ryuen, standing on his side.
This person's nature wasn't bad.
It was just that their leader was someone like Ryuen who loved using violence, especially in a school like this.
So, until a better solution could be found, she could only endure Ryuen and the others' misbehavior.
Aside from being hot-headed and overly competitive, Hikigaya's impression of her was quite good.
However, that was it. What couldn't be done simply couldn't be done.
"Even if you say that," Hikigaya said with some difficulty, "I can't control Class B's voting."
"Dammit."
Ibuki Mio bit her teeth and pulled two phones from her skirt pocket.
"4.96 million. This is everything. Not a loan, I'll give it all to you. Just have your Class B cast all their out-of-class praise votes for Ryuen. That should be enough, right?"
To be honest, that number made Hikigaya's heart skip a beat.
After all, aside from aiming for protection points or preventing expulsion, out-of-class praise votes didn't have much value.
Those with ability didn't need them; those without ability didn't have much money. At most, they could be sold for ten or twenty thousand, which would already be quite good.
Nearly five million.
Hikigaya really questioned her intelligence; she was probably just way too impulsive.
Then again, Ryuen had unceremoniously handed his phone to Ibuki Mio, clearly having accepted his expulsion.
Still, Ryuen wasn't worried about her being scammed.
"Yeah, I can't help with that." Hikigaya shook his head.
"Dammit!" Ibuki Mio said angrily. "With five million, giving ten thousand to each person should be enough to get them to vote, right? What's wrong with helping me out?"
"..."
Hikigaya had a headache. "Do you really not want Ryuen to be expelled that badly?"
"Duh."
Ibuki Mio said with disgust, "Even though I hate that guy, if we let Ryuen be expelled now, we'll definitely regret it later, won't we?"
Hikigaya could understand. Kaneda lacked the capital to compete with the others.
Even Hikigaya himself was confident he could trick a guy with only minor cleverness like Kaneda.
If Ryuen were expelled...
These guys would likely indeed regret it.
But what did that have to do with Class B?
"Sorry, I can't do it." Hikigaya shook his head.
Accepting the five million and having Class B vote for Ryuen was simple and highly profitable.
However, those blinded by immediate gain would eventually have a day of regret.
In this exam, once they lost the out-of-class praise votes, Class B would lose all their hand, and that would be the true dead end.
Furthermore, Ryuen's expulsion was actually a good thing for Class B.
If Class C rose to Class A because of Ryuen, then they would be the ones to regret it.
How could he help Ibuki, whom he had only met a few times, for such a small gain? Even if she was good-looking, it was a no.
"What exactly do you want?"
Ibuki Mio gave him a fierce, angry glare.
"It's not about what I want."
Hikigaya looked away and explained helplessly:
"From the moment you couldn't produce 6 million, there was no point in continuing this discussion. Besides, even if Ryuen isn't expelled, you still have to choose one person to be expelled. What will you do then?"
After all, Ryuen's reputation was what it was.
If she wanted Class B's praise votes, she had to at least help solve Class B's problem first; otherwise, there was no point in talking.
"That's none of your business."
Ibuki Mio bit her lip. She had several people she hated anyway; expelling them was clearly more appropriate than expelling Ryuen.
However, 6 million was simply impossible.
Not only did other classes hate Ryuen, but even within Class C, many people couldn't wait for him to be expelled, wanting to sacrifice Ryuen to get through this exam.
Kaneda and the others would never put up money to save Ryuen.
Getting 6 million together was simply impossible.
Even trying to buy out-of-class praise votes from Class A or D would surely be blocked by Sakayanagi and Horikita Suzune.
Even if they acted in secret, though money brings out the brave, a few praise votes for Ryuen were just a drop in the bucket.
Aside from Class B, led by Ichinose with its strong cohesion, there was no other choice.
Ibuki Mio wasn't stupid; on the contrary, she saw things very clearly.
But 6 million really wasn't realistic.
Moreover, even if Ryuen was important to the class, it wasn't worth Ibuki Mio going around owing favors to everyone.
Since childhood, Ibuki Mio had walked alone, overcoming all difficulties by herself, even in this school.
She didn't need anyone's help.
She just wanted to do something for the class on her own initiative, knowing that if Ryuen were expelled, they would definitely regret it in the future.
She could only rely on herself.
"You've probably never dated a girl before, right?"
Ibuki Mio looked up and glared at Hikigaya. His gaze always felt like he was glaring back at people; perhaps it was just his eyes.
"What are you trying to say?"
Hikigaya was confused. How did the topic suddenly shift to this?
"It just so happens I haven't either."
Ibuki Mio didn't care at all, her gaze as fierce as ever.
"I'll give you this 5 million. You can give it to Ichinose or Class B, it doesn't matter. In short, have Class B cast all their praise votes for Ryuen to prevent his expulsion. In exchange, I'll be your woman. You can dump me after you're bored."
"Will that work?"
"..."
Hikigaya seriously studied the girl in front of him; her fierce eyes were unchanged from before.
If an ordinary person heard this, they would definitely be overjoyed or perhaps feel a secret caution.
Ibuki Mio wasn't bad-looking.
Though her figure wasn't as curvaceous as Ichinose's, it was very well-proportioned. Because of her martial arts training, her legs looked firm and powerful, and her body was very flexible.
However, as a loner, Hikigaya could understand that she just wanted to do everything in her power for the class.
Just like him. Walking alone until now, overcoming all difficulties alone.
Rather than owing a favor, a loner would prefer to rely on themselves, even if the price was incomprehensible to outsiders.
Hikigaya couldn't help but feel a bit of goodwill toward her.
However...
"I can't."
"You should think of another way."
With that, Hikigaya turned and left without hesitation.
He would argue against Ichinose's self-sacrifice because she had many companions who had supported each other until now.
But he wouldn't say a word against Ibuki's way of doing things.
After all, that was the way of life Ibuki had followed until now; it was just that she had encountered an insurmountable problem.
Since Ibuki herself didn't care, no one could criticize her.
No one could criticize her way of life.
However, what he couldn't agree to, he simply couldn't agree to.
Since Class B's problem hadn't even been solved, there was no way he could help Ibuki solve Class C's problem now.
"Tch..."
Watching Hikigaya's departing back, Ibuki Mio clicked her tongue and turned away briskly.
"Disgusting."
Thinking about Hikigaya's gaze just now, Ibuki Mio felt inexplicably uncomfortable.
There was no disdain, and no secret joy.
Only the understanding shown by a fellow traveler, followed by a heartless refusal.
"Dammit."
Ibuki Mio looked utterly annoyed. If he really understood, then he should have just agreed to date her.
If he had, everything would have been fine, and the problem would have been solved.
Now she had no other ideas.